Mama, I’ll just address the obvious: my most recent absence has been ridiculously long. There are SO MANY things that happened during the summer of 2013. Yeah, we talked about some of it on the phone, but of course it was only the biggest bits of news. I’m gonna give you a photo for all the things, so you can at least have scenery for this romp through your daughter’s drama.

what a sweet summer. i had macarons galore.

My NEMO Spring: What I Dared To Do

It all started when I went to North Carolina in May. After that trip, I ventured back to Montreal in July. It was a thing I had wanted to do since the first fleeting visit in October 2011. Visiting Montreal is as close as I have ever come to actual international travel. I got the chance to visit at a crazy low cost, and I snatched it like I was playing that amazingly competitive kids game, “Steal The Bacon.”

I watched a few videos this week, mama, that knocked me a little off my axis. You know as far as axes go (tiny note about that word, mama: did you know ‘axes’ is both the plural of axis AND axe? The plural for axis is probably pronounced in some fancy academic way like ‘axe-ease’ or something…) I’ve always rotated at a somewhat wobbly turn. So the effect of this past week’s YouTube viewing was significant, to interrupt that.

It was significant because this ongoing tag on YouTube (a tag means lots of YouTube broadcasters make a video about the same topic, or answering the same set of questions, filling in their own experience) is to make an intensely personal video. The tag is called “Draw My Life” and I have been watching them for a couple of weeks now. Continue Reading…

Remember that update post that really was just a boring little report? I forgot to tell you mama, that I tried challenging myself in writing, by guest blogging at group blog during January and February.

The place is called “The Online Safehouse” and it was organized by longtime friend and source of inspiration, Margie Clayman. She invited me to participate and for once I didn’t say “well…I dunno…I’m not that confident in what I can offer…” Because the reasons for creating this group blog were so compelling. Continue Reading…

Mama, remember my senior pictures? Nearly a disaster, for reasons we’ll be discussing today. Oh the agony, the inner struggle, the aborted diva moment and momentary resentment of biology…Oh yeah, and clothes. The following story is one I can’t tell Almay for the NYC Makeover contest, but I felt like sharing anyway.

So, you remember when I first went natural, mama? It was an easy decision for me to make: I didn’t have much disposable cash to keep this open-ended investment going, and I also wasn’t pampering my hair much at all.

Continual breakoffs and battles with new growth convinced me to go ahead and make the switch to natural by getting my first big chop. I didn’t feel less pretty. If anything I got more in touch with my feminine side, finding ways to enhance that side of me. In all, it was one of the best beauty decisions I’ve made. Continue Reading…

Mama, you know my ongoing struggle and the endless saga of The Phone I got in my last Verizon phone upgrade. It was nothing but trouble for me, after the first 6 months. At the one-year mark, you were present for the ungracious “customer service” I received regarding this prolonged phone issue. What I haven’t told you about is my Knight in Shining Armor: Nokia. Continue Reading…

It’s been an action-packed couple of months, mama. Remember when I got my haircut? I haven’t done anything with my hair since then, and it’s had a chance to rest and grow out for all this time. Continue Reading…

Mama, I’ve been looking forward to my haircut for a long time. I was fretting about where I could get it done, though. Oddly enough, the city where I live in New York is a LOT like Frankfort. I mean…..it’s A LOT like Frankfort. So my choice was between the multitude of barbers working locally, in the Hudson Valley and the multitude of Natural Hair salons in New York City.

Yelp Chose My Natural Hair Stylist

Since I don’t know many people up here in the first place, it’s easy to imagine I didn’t have a lot of good advice coming my way about reputable natural hair stylists. My most urgent thought: “Who’s going to respect my hair in its natural state?” A salon that caters purely to styling NATURAL hair is my priority starting point. Continue Reading…

I know you know I’m working on picking up Korean as a second language, Mama. But I’m here to tell you – Korean is hard. To keep my ear familiar with Korean, I’ve kept watching Kdramas and various Korean movies on Netflix and Drama Fever. But during 2012, there was a slight decline in picking up any new knowledge… Continue Reading…

I know you like to take photos because you don’t like being on camera yourself, Mama. But in hindsight, is it all that pleasurable to be missing from literally years of your own life history? I say that because our photos of holidays and past visits could often leave something to be desired. Continue Reading…

Your Daughter Jillian

I’m a girl that hangs out online, and stays in touch with her mom. I’m a girl that’s not so great at making calls or sending regular letters in the mail. When I call, usually the first thing I say is: “Everything is Fine.” So, I decided to blog to my mom, expanding on this central point. Hi mama, everything is fine.The Full Story...